Big Blue Yonder

Pretty soon I will be off to the farm and this rash of blog entries will be at an end. I don't know what my access to internet will be like and so this might be one of the last few complete entries for awhile.

On Monday I went to Stockholm via train. It's only about 40 minutes away, which for me goes quickly. I love riding in a train as much as I love riding in a car. I've actually come to despise the dormant, stuffy quality of an airplane - although I still enjoy the 'teleportative' quality of flying. But in a train or car you can see everything rushing by. I love the rhythm and the constant motion, the feeling of taking giant steps without actually moving the legs. Riding a train is a rare experience for Americans, I feel. Subways and city transportation don't count - only when you can see an encompassing countryside whizzing by, interrupted by towns and bicyclists... It's an invigorating experience.

Carl was pretty familiar with the Stockholm area and we were able to find the Austrian Embassy with nary a hitch. I handed in all my papers only to find out - a half hour before they closed - that my passport photo didn't meet their specifications. Now, this wouldn't be such a big deal except for the rigmarole I went through in getting those pictures taken at Ohio's one and only Meijer - a 45 minute wait and the struggle of the employee to use the camera. The lady at the embassy told me the color was off, I wasn't facing the camera straightforward, and you could see teeth (a very frightening thing in Austria - only terrorists have teeth). The need for speed rushing us on, we ran from the embassy to a nearby mall, snapped a very appropriate and sweaty picture of me, and ran back - all under 15 minutes (wtf Meijer). Now my paperwork for Austria is in and I can on that front, to a degree, relax.

Stockholm is a very beautiful city. It reminds me of Baltimore, Maryland, in a way. Tall ships in the harbor, the smell of water, and lots of people but that's where the similarities stop. The architecture in Stockholm is unique, fittingly European. The color is off: Swedes love red, yellow, and brown for building. Also there are lots of islands in and around Stockholm. It's a great city - I'll post pictures. For all the greatness, however, the city doesn't call to me like Berlin or Philly. The people are too quiet, too tame, and the streets are too clean (what a complaint, eh?). Well, I just can't SEE myself there for more than a fun weekend.

Carl and I went to the National Maritime Museum to check out some awesome models and paintings. Come to think of it, Stockholm is a city made more for my parents who harbor a great love of the water and ships and all things maritime. I think they would have loved it there, appreciating the maritime culture much more than I could have.

Not really wishing to stay in the city too long, we cruised around the old portion of town, took pictures, and lounged at a cafe before hopping the train home.

Then last night was relaxing and somewhat sad. The semester here has just ended and the great international student population is making its exodus back to the homelands. Carl's friends threw a farewell party on the roof of one of the student buildings and we spent some time there. I then watched Nanny McPhee back in the room. (Umm... a whirlwind pretty thing with superficial substance).

Today it actually rained for a bit - around 10 minutes of precipitation. Go figure, a travel day and it has to rain! It's so refreshing - what I wouldn't give for some thunder.

That's it for now! I'll try and update within the next few days but I'm going to Carl's house in a few hours, which could mean limited internet.